


Underneath It All

by taitofan



Category: Persona 5
Genre: College, Developing Friendships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Sexual Assault, Romance, Slow Burn, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, Trust Issues, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-16 07:24:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14806899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taitofan/pseuds/taitofan
Summary: Much to her surprise, Shiho goes overseas to an American college on scholarship and finds out that her roommate is none other than Goro Akechi.  What is he doing in America? Where did he disappear to for a year? Why is he on the female floor of the dorm? She doesn't know, but she's going to find out...Akechi needed to get away, far away.  America should be far enough, right?  So why is his roommate the best friend of one of the ex-Phantom Thieves?  Why is she so kind to him? Why does he want to trust her? He doesn't know, but he's going to find out...





	Underneath It All

**Author's Note:**

> Idk, maybe I'm the ONLY AkeShiho fan in the entire world, and that's fine, but I wanted to show my appreciation for the ship and I thought this might do it some justice. I hope anyone curious enough to read enjoys this!
> 
> There's no smut yet, but it will come eventually, thus the rating. And since this is Shiho, there's talk of assault and rape, but none of it going on in the fic. If there's any heavy subject matter that arises, I'll add a tag to the fic and warn in the chapter notes!

When Shiho received an athletic scholarship overseas—being praised for both her grades and her volleyball prowess even after she had to relearn everything after rehabilitation—she was beyond excited and eagerly jumped at the chance to attend!

…Well, not quite.  She was flattered, but had been ready to turn it down.  She wanted to go to university with Ann, having missed her best friend dearly when she’d moved away.  Ann was so special to her.  She loved Ann!  She really, truly _loved_ Ann.  If they went to university together, maybe she’d finally have the courage to tell her!

“ _Oh Shiho, you got a full scholarship? That’s so amazing!  I’m so happy for you!_ ”  Shiho had been ready to tell Ann she was turning it down, when the bomb was dropped.  “ _I got into the same university as Makoto, actually.  She’s living just off campus, so we’re going to be roommates!_ ”

Shiho had kept her composure until the phone call ended, when she sank down on her bed and cried into her pillow until she had no more tears.  Ann had been mentioning Makoto a lot more as time went on, and Shiho had wondered if there was more going on, but she’d held hope…  And besides, even if she was wrong and they really were just friends, it didn’t change the fact that Ann hadn’t even considered Shiho going to the same university as her and being roommates.

Ann didn’t owe her anything, but it still hurt to know she had no chance at Ann’s love, and she wasn’t even sure where they stood as friends.  Ann had seen her off to the airport and sworn they’d talk as much as they could and even still called Shiho her best friend, but…

Shiho shook her head as she arrived at a large building on her college campus, noting it was the same one that her phone indicated as her new home away from home for the next four years.  She was very glad she was fluent in English and more than able to navigate and communicate.  She just hoped her new roommate would be nice; if she had to put up with a racist American, she’d…

Well, no, she wouldn’t let anyone walk all over her.  Not anymore.  She deserved better and she knew it.

She reigned in all her confidence and walked through the door with her luggage, making her way to the elevator to drop off her things before orientation.  She supposed she’d find out very quickly what this girl was like…

When Shiho reached the fifth floor, she stepped out and found room number four.  She swiped the cardkey she’d been given and heard the lock click.  Ready or not, here it was…!

“…Hello.”

Shiho froze as she saw none other than Goro Akechi sitting on one of the beds in the room.  The card had worked, so she must have the right room, but he was there too, so didn’t that mean he was meant to be there too?  What was going on…?

“Hello,” she greeted back, smiling a bit nervously as she shut the door behind her and set down her suitcases.  “You’re…  Goro Akechi.”

Akechi’s eyes widened, but he quickly schooled his face into a pleasant smile.  The smile of someone who knew how to fool a camera.  The smile of someone who wasn’t remotely as happy as their smile conveyed.  It was a look Shiho knew painfully well.

“That’s right.  And you are…?”

His calm demeanor didn’t fool her; he didn’t like the fact she knew who he was.

“Shiho Suzui,” she introduced, giving a polite little bow.  “I’m here on scholarship.”

“A pleasure, Suzui.”  Despite the fact they were speaking to each other in English, he still called her by her family name.  That was fine with her; she thought it would feel odd to call him _Goro_.  “You look concerned though.  I suppose I’m not the roommate you expected.”

No, of course not.  First off, she expected a girl.  This was, after all, supposed to a female floor.  The dorm was co-ed, but the floors were supposed to alternate between girls and boys.  So why was a boy on this floor?  Not to mention, she never would have guessed that she’d be placed with someone she knew.  Or, well, _knew of_.  Had the dorm coordinators done that on purpose?  Because they were both Japanese?  Part of her didn’t like that at all, but at the same time, maybe it would be less of a culture shock with another Japanese student as her roommate.  Either way, she wasn’t going to be rude; no matter what, Akechi wasn’t to blame for being in that room.

“Well…  No, you aren’t, but that doesn’t mean I’m opposed, I’m just confused.”  She tried not to let the creeping panic in her gut spread.  Sure, Akechi had been quite infamous for hating the Phantom Thieves and then just seemed to drop off the face of the earth for a year and was now in her room in America, but he’d never, say, murdered anyone, right?  At least, she didn’t think so?  He was a detective, so maybe…?  But she reminded herself that Akechi was not _him_.  Not every man was an abusive, violent, _disgusting_ rapist.  Sure, she could request a room change, but shouldn’t she at least give him a chance?  “I thought this was a girl’s only floor, you know?”

Akechi’s eyes hardened for just a moment before he was all smiles again, but Shiho was quite sure even a child would have picked up on that.  And yet, she didn’t get the feeling he was mad at her.  Just what was going on here?

“Funny, that’s exactly what _I_ said when they insisted I stay on this floor.  And yet, here I am.  If you’d rather not stay here, I understand.  By all means—”

“No, it’s okay, really!”  Despite her hesitation, there was something about his tone and his words…  Something didn’t quite add up, and he was upset about whatever it was.  She didn’t understand, but she felt in her gut that the best thing to do would be to stick it out and see how things went.  Maybe, just maybe, this would be good for her too.  “Let’s try it and see what happens. Maybe we can be friends!”

She was pretty sure they could both use a friend right about then.

“…Perhaps.”  His smile dropped, and this time, it didn’t come back.  “Though if you change your mind within the week, I won’t blame you.”

Shiho wondered just exactly what she was getting herself into.

\---

As Shiho and Akechi silently walked back to their room together after orientation, Shiho could feel the stares of the other girls who were staying on that floor on them.  The whispers weren’t quiet enough to not hear their questions—why was a guy on that floor? Was he that girl’s boyfriend?  Was he a really butch girl?

Shiho glanced at Akechi and saw him walking with his head held high, though she could clearly see how tense his face was.  It only made her want answers even more, but she could see how badly this was affecting him, and she wasn’t about to make things worse for him, so she remained silent.  As soon as they reached their door, Akechi quickly slid his card and stepped inside.  Shiho wasted no time in following him, closing the door quietly behind herself.  She found him hauling a suitcase onto his bed and taking things out of it with more aggression than was needed.

“Akechi…  Are you alright?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”  More fake smiles.  She realized that the Detective Prince she’d seen on television always had that same smile…  What did his real smile look like…?  “If you mean those simple idiots out there, I’m not worried about them.  The college placed me here after all.  I’m not here to make friends anyway.”

“O-Oh…”

He paused, setting down the shirt in his hands more gently, and fully turned to her.  “Suzui, what are you studying?”

“Huh?  Oh, um, athletic coaching.  In volleyball.  That’s what my scholarship is for.”

Akechi looked her up and down, seemingly thinking something over, before his eyes widened, just a touch.  It was if he just realized something, and her chest clenched.  Did he know about what happened to her in her second year?  It had been all over the news, and that disgusting man had been involved with the Phantom Thieves…

“...Yes, volleyball.  I think your school might have played mine at some point.  I thought your name sounded vaguely familiar.”  Relief flooded her as neither the abuse, the rape, nor her suicide attempt came up.  She wasn’t sure if he was even telling the truth, but she was grateful all the same.  “I’m studying forensic psychology.  I thought I might go back into the business after my… little break.”

“Yeah, that must have all been really stressful.  Solving crimes, all those interviews, the fans…  You were like a celebrity!”  As he had done for her, she didn’t ask unnecessary questions.  “Did you get a scholarship too?”

“No, my…”  He paused, then busied himself by resuming taking more of this clothes out, much calmer this time, folding them neatly.  “My boss, I suppose you could call him, offered to pay for me to come here.  I needed to get away, and he felt guilty in a way, I suppose.”

Silence fell over them as Akechi continued unpacking, and Shiho decided it would be best for her to do the same.  She hadn’t brought a lot with her other than clothes, though her parents had given her a large amount of money to buy things with when she got there since her university fund wasn’t needed now.  They hadn’t even lectured her on using the money wisely, apparently knowing she would.  Akechi didn’t seem to have a lot either, judging by the looks of it.  Maybe he’d want to go with her and—

No, she quickly reminded herself.  Akechi didn’t want to make friends, remember?

She took out a frame that she’d careful wrapped among her clothes and set it on the dresser by her bed that came with the room.  As it clicked down on the wooden top, Akechi glanced over, his head tilting to the side as he looked at it.

“Ann Takamaki?”

“Oh, yes.”  A warm yet sad smile came to Shiho’s face as she gazed at the picture.  They’d taken that right after she’d gotten placed on the starting lineup for the volleyball team.  Right before everything started going wrong.  “She’s my best friend.”  She paused, the clutching in her chest coming back. “ _We’re best friends_.  I know that must sound strange since she’s a model, but it’s true.”

He slowly turned away from the photo, a contemplative look on his face.  “No, I believe you.  That makes perfect sense…”

She didn’t understand what he meant, but he seemed to be done talking about it, so she didn’t ask.  This was going to be a very interesting year, that was for certain…

\---

When night time fell, Shiho went into their little bathroom first.  Akechi had made absolutely sure the dorm rooms would have private bathrooms before even applying, though he hadn’t doubted that Shido would get him in where ever he wanted.  His father was trying his best to make amends after his change of heart, especially since Akechi had been presumed dead for almost a year.  Hell, he hadn’t even technically finished high school—and was now a year older than most of the new college Freshmen—though Shido made sure everything looked legit.  It didn’t matter; he knew what he was doing anyway.

Still.  He was pissed he’d been placed on the girl’s floor.  And with a roommate who knew who he was no less.  Luckily, Shiho seemed like a nice enough girl, even if she was friends with an ex-Phantom Thief.  He doubted she knew anything about it, considering he was positive she was the girl who’d jumped off the roof right before the Phantom Thieves took the scene.  Yes, Shiho Suzui, he’d read about her…

But he wasn’t interested in the Phantom Thieves or hearts or anything like that anymore.  He was tired, and he just wanted to get his degree and go back to being a detective.  A nice normal detective.

“I’m all done Akechi, it’s all yours.”

Shiho’s sweet voice snapped him from his thoughts, and with a polite thank you, he entered the bathroom and locked it behind him.  There was a small shower stall, a sink, and a toilet.  That was enough for him.  After all, if he went in the dorm’s women’s bathroom, the women would call him a pervert.  And if he went to shower in the men’s room…

No, either way it would be a disaster, so he was very happy to know he had this little room to himself.  He’d have to be careful, but he was sure he could keep his secret from Shiho as well.  She didn’t seem like the type to go poking through his things after all, and his pajamas were baggy, so she shouldn’t see…

He peeled off his sweater, and then his binder, giving a sigh of relief as his chest was free.  He threw his pajama top on and glanced in the mirror, checking from different angles to make sure it wasn’t poking out too much.  It looked fine to him, thankfully, so he changed his pants next, then brushed his teeth and washed his face before making sure his binder was hidden with his other clothes.  Satisfied that Shiho wasn’t about to learn he was trans that night, he left the bathroom and saw Shiho was already laying in bed, texting on her phone.  There was a soft smile on her face…  Was she speaking to Ann, perhaps?

The room had nothing of note other than the furniture it came with, so he put his dirty clothes into his empty suitcase for the time being.  When he straightened up, he saw Shiho gazing at him, a nervous look in her eyes.  Honestly, he was surprised she was alright rooming with a guy.  Thankful, but surprised.  He seemed to have gotten a decent roommate, if nothing else.

“Um…  We don’t really have a lot here, huh?  Maybe sometime we could go pick out some stuff for our room?  If you want.  There are some things we could share if we do it together…”

Akechi didn’t need any friends.  He didn’t _want_ any.

...But he was still so lonely, so desperate for attention and affection.  So tired of lying about all of it.  So tired of always being alone.

Maybe one friend would be okay.

“...Alright.  In the morning we can compare schedules and pick a time.”

Shiho’s smile was so bright that Akechi wasn’t sure they’d even need a lamp.

“Great!  Well, it’s getting late, so I guess we should go to sleep.  Goodnight Akechi, sleep well!”

He gave her a small, genuine smile back and hit the light switch before climbing into bed himself.

“Goodnight Suzui.  You as well.”

He’d had his doubts, but maybe, just maybe, this year wouldn’t be so bad after all.


End file.
